The relationship between two childhood friends becomes something more, when one of them is attacked for being a witch.

Interview with Writer/Director Jennifer Crow

Congratulations! Why did you make this animation?

It was my graduation film for my Bachelor’s degree in animation, and the third film Imade during the 3-year course. The themes of the film – friendship, love,oppression, interpersonal relationship growth – are very close to me and my real lifeexperiences. Not to say that Overgrow is based on my life, haha, as it certainly isn’t!

Overgrow

But I definitely wanted to make a story that I, and a lot of others (particularly peoplewho aren’t straight), can relate to. I want to create films and stories with diversecharacters, and I wanted to challenge the trope where a boy and a girl are childhoodfriends that end up as lovers by having the characters be the same gender instead,their love not skipping a beat in the story just because they’re not straight.

Their love isn’t really central to the film, either, as it’s more about their friendship andsupport for each other.

Why is the film called Overgrow?

Well, quite literally, Anna’s witch powers relate to growing plants, which gets out ofcontrol during the events of the film.

It also relates to the development and assimilation of Anna and Nala’s friendship into romantic love.

Overgrow was your graduating film at the Victorian College of the ArtsSchool of Film and Television. What are you working on now?

I only graduated a few months ago, but since then, I’ve been looking for work orinternships at animation studios. I’ve also been working on some freelance work andpersonal projects, including illustrating for several zines, animating for Melbourne’sWhite Night in February 2016, and developing short comic pitches for anthologies.

What type of feedback have you received so far about Overgrow?

All positive feedback so far, which is nice! I know the film is far from perfect, but itwas essentially all written, directed, and animated by myself in a few months on topof other university and personal projects.

I think the thing that gets the most feedback is the backgrounds in the film.

I drew roughly 50 of them, inking them on paper before colouring them digitally.

People also really liked my colour palettes.

It’s very flattering, as I worked very hard on them.

Colour has been something I’ve been working on in my artistic career as a whole lately.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?I’m a bit surprised that people liked it so much, honestly. I suppose that, as thecreator, I’m very skeptical of my own work, especially after working on it for so long,haha.

Being one of three nominees for my university’s Best Production (Animation)award was really surprising and nice, and I feel like I can only go up from here. I’mexcited to get back into film work!

What are you looking to achieve by having Overgrow more visible onthis platform?

I hope to get my name out there a little more, haha. I hope to enter Overgrow intofestivals, so until then, I can’t really put it online in its entirety.

Overgrow

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers,distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify the message ofthis film?

Ideally, film festival directors and journalists, I think. I feel like I’m a bit too attachedand inexperienced to be rushing out to buyers and distributors, haha, but I supposethat’s a possibility too! I just want to get my work out there for people to see,especially if those stories are ones like Overgrow that centrally feature queer peopleand other minorities.

What type of impact would you like this film to have?

I suppose I really just want to help normalise having queer characters in mediawithout the plot or subplot all about how they’re queer, or struggling with beingqueer/queerphobia, or being killed off, haha.

Lastly, what’s a key question that will help spark a debate about this film?

Two childhood friends grow up to become lovers is a common trope concerning boyand girl characters, so why not characters of the same gender, as well?

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